Detroit program helps close the Digital Divide for residents

Joshua Edmonds, director of Digital Inclusion with the City of Detroit, said the city set up a program in 2019 called Connect 313 to help residents get access to broadband connectivity. The initial goal was “building a table for which everybody who was intersecting with the Digital Divide could sit. Whether that’s our telecom providers, residents, non-profits, community organizations, churches, big tech companies.” The program now has over 500 member organizations. The City of Detroit has done a number of things as part of Connect 313. It set up its own call center for residents who want to learn about the Emergency Broadband Benefit, which has now rolled into the Affordable Connectivity Program. Connect 313 has done a number of commercials and public service announcements to inform the public about its benefits. It’s working with a re-furbisher to help people access low-cost devices. It’s been able to establish its own fund to support community initiatives. And it’s establishing a grant-seeking arm to tap federal and state grants.